Delivery lighting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11945366-B2
Application number	US-202217848651-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2022
Priority date	Jun 24, 2022
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle control system may include one or more processors and a memory comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising detecting a signal to activate vehicle lamps in a delivery lighting pattern. In some embodiments, the processors may be further operable to execute the instructions to perform operations including activating the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern, wherein a flashing frequency of the delivery lighting pattern differs from a flashing frequency of a hazard lighting pattern.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system of a vehicle, comprising:
one or more processors and a memory comprising instructions executable by the processors, the instructions configuring the one or more processors to:
determine that the vehicle is slowing and approaching a curb;
detect a signal to activate vehicle lamps in a delivery lighting pattern based on the determination that the vehicle is slowing and approaching the curb; and
activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern, wherein a flashing frequency of the delivery lighting pattern differs from a flashing frequency of a hazard lighting pattern.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern being detected comprises the one or more processors being configured to:
determine an occurrence of a delivery event, wherein the signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern is further based on the determination of the occurrence of the delivery event.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern being detected comprises the one or more processors being configured to:
determine the vehicle is in a parked mode, wherein the signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern is further based on the determination that the vehicle is in the parked mode.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern being detected comprises the one or more processors being configured to:
determine the vehicle is stopped by regenerative braking, wherein the signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern is further based on the determination that the vehicle was stopped by the regenerative braking.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a user instruction to activate vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern.

6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein a flashing frequency of the delivery lighting pattern differs by at least 1 Hz from a flashing frequency of the hazard lighting pattern.

7. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
activate, in the delivery lighting pattern, an additional lamp that is not activated in the hazard lighting pattern.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine occurrence of a crash event;
determine a first vehicle lamp of the vehicle lamps configured to activate in the hazard lighting pattern is inoperative; and
activate a second vehicle lamp of the vehicle lamps in a special lighting pattern.

9. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
detect, by the control system, a signal to deactivate vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern, wherein the signal to deactivate comprises at least one signal selected from the group consisting of a signal indicating a change in parked mode, a signal indicating the vehicle is departing from the curb, a signal indicating a moving vehicle, and a signal indicating deactivated hazard lamps; and
deactivate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern.

10. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the hazard lighting pattern; and
in response to receiving the signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the hazard lighting pattern and detecting the signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern, activate the vehicle lamps in the hazard lighting pattern.

11. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the flashing frequency of the hazard lighting pattern is 2 Hz, wherein the flashing frequency of the delivery lighting pattern is 6 Hz, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine an occurrence of a component failure; and
in response to determining occurrence of the component failure, activate the vehicle lamps at a flashing frequency of 4 Hz.

12. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software comprising instructions operable when executed to perform operations comprising:
determining, by a control system, that a current location of a vehicle is within a threshold proximity of an area associated with a delivery address;
detecting, by the control system, a signal to activate vehicle lamps in a delivery lighting pattern based on the determination that the current location of the vehicle is within the threshold proximity; and
activating, by the control system, the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern, wherein a flashing frequency of the delivery lighting pattern differs from a flashing frequency of a hazard lighting pattern.

13. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein a flashing frequency of the delivery lighting pattern differs by at least 1 Hz from a flashing frequency of the hazard lighting pattern.

14. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
activating, in the delivery lighting pattern, an additional lamp that is not activated in the hazard lighting pattern.

15. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
detecting, by the control system, a signal to deactivate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern, wherein the signal to deactivate comprises at least one signal selected from the group consisting of a signal indicating a change in parked mode, a signal indicating the vehicle is departing from a curb, a signal indicating a moving vehicle, and a signal indicating deactivated hazard lamps; and
deactivating the delivery lighting pattern.

16. A vehicle comprising:
a plurality of lamps; and
a control system comprising one or more processors and a memory comprising instructions executable by the processors, the one or more processors operable to execute the instructions to:
determine that the vehicle is slowing and approaching a curb;
detect a signal to activate vehicle lamps of the plurality of lamps in a delivery lighting pattern based on the determination that the vehicle is slowing and approaching the curb; and
activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern, wherein a flashing frequency of the delivery lighting pattern differs from a flashing frequency of a hazard lighting pattern.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors is further caused to:
activate, in the delivery lighting pattern, an additional lamp that is not activated in the hazard lighting pattern.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are further caused to:
determine that at least one event has occurred, the at least one event being selected from a group comprising: the vehicle is in a parked mode, a vehicle is stopped by regenerative braking, or a current location of the vehicle is within a threshold proximity of an area associated with a delivery address, wherein the signal to activate the vehicle lamps in the delivery lighting pattern is based on the determination that the at least one event has occurred.

19. A control system of a vehicle, comprising:
one or more processors and a memory comprising instructions executable by the processors, the instructions configur

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Baker Simon
• Jayaraman Vijay
• Tokarz Nicholas Paul
• Amruthur Srikanth
• Wilson Emily
• French Thomas
• Brown Stuart

Classifications

• B60Q1/46 Primary

  for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights {or hazard lights} · CPC title

• B60Q1/30

  for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces · CPC title

• B60Q1/486

  for indicating that vehicle is in a parked state · CPC title

• B60Q1/48

  for parking purposes · CPC title

• B60Q1/488

  for indicating intention to park · CPC title